DIET TIPS FOR CORPORATE EXECUTIVES

Stress and work pressure coupled with a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits are taking a heavy toll on body and mind. Only a healthy body and mind can contribute positively at work and it begins with what we put in our bodies.At Diet Dr Clinic we have developed very simple yet effective programs to help our clients make permanent changes in their dietary habits. With our approach, we don’t just advise what foods to eat and what foods to avoid. We provide a step-by-step program that teaches you how best to eliminate your bad eating habits and at the same time nudge you on a path to healthier lifestyle choices.
Main Benefits of our Corporate Program:

• Learn about the 10 eating habits which will make a big difference to your weight and health.

• Achieve permanent weight loss through permanent changes in diet which will help keep weight off even once you quit the program.

• You don’t have to count calories. You will simply learn how to eat for the right reasons.

• Achieve good health without getting overwhelmed or making drastic changes all at once.

• Enjoy a renewed zest for life with a better workplace performance and higher efficiency.

BONE HEALTH AND NUTRITION

When most people think bones, they think calcium. But it's not the only nutrient. There are other nutrients which play an important role in absorption of calcium, like vitamin D, vitamin K & magnesium. If you don't get enough calcium in your diet, your body will take calcium from your bones to ensure normal cell function, which can lead to weakened bones or osteoporosis. Approximately 1 in 2 women (& about 1 in 4 men) over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The bones naturally loose mass, becoming more brittle. Calcium deficiency can also lead to mood problems such as irritability, anxiety, depression & difficulty in sleeping. The best line of defence is your diet- eating the right food, which can give you the maximum bone strength & boost your bone density at any age.

SUPER FOODS FOR BONE HEALTH 

1. Dairy products like milk, yogurt (curd), cheese & paneer.
2. Fatty fish like sardines, salmon, mackerel & tuna.
3. Eggs- Don't just opt for egg whites- they may cut calories but the vitamin D is in the yolk.
4. Dark leafy greens & vegetables like spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts & asparagus.
5. Seeds like sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, flax- Sprinkle some seeds onto your salad for bone-building power.
6. Nuts like almonds, walnuts & peanuts.
7. Magnesium rich foods are found in nuts (like almonds & cashews), seeds (like sesame, pumpkin & sunflower seeds), whole grains, seafood, legumes, tofu & many vegetables.
8. Vitamin D rich foods- Sources include fortified milk, eggs, cheese, fortified cereal, butter, margarine, cream, fish, shrimp, oysters, etc.

DANGER FOODS FOR BONES -

Following foods, when consumed in excess, drain calcium from your bones & deplete your body’s calcium stores:

1. Salt - Eating foods high in salt (sodium) contributes to calcium loss & bone breakdown. Salt shows up in nearly all processed foods including whole grain bread, breakfast cereals & fast foods.
2. Sugary Snacks - Excess sugar inhabits calcium absorption & depletes phosphorous, another mineral important in facilitating the absorption of calcium. Satisfy your sweet tooth with prunes, dates & other anti - oxidant rich fruits.
3. Foods with Phytates - While beans (legumes) contain calcium, magnesium, fibre & other nutrients. They are also high in substances called phytates which interfere with the calcium absorption. You can reduce the phytates level by soaking beans in water for several hours & then cooking them in fresh water.
4. Alcohol & Caffeine - Drinking heavily can lead to bone loss as it interferes with vitamin D which in turn inhabits calcium absorption, disrupting your body’s calcium balance. Limit alcohol to not more than 2 - 3 drinks per day. Coffee, tea & soft drink (sodas) contain caffeine, which may decrease calcium absorption & contribute to more loss.

LET YOUR HEART BEAT LONGER

1. Eat fiber rich food. Include vegetables, grains like jowar, bajra, oats, and brown rice in your regular diet.
2. Have enough antioxidant foods regularly like green tea, different colored fruits, and vegetables.
3. Have essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 rich foods. Including walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds and fish will benefit the heart.
4. Blend of right oils like sesame, mustard, olive, coconut, rice bran are good options to chose from.
5. Cut down salt intake as excess salt can increase pressure which can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
6. Monitor the alcohol content as too much can affect the heart muscle and increase the blood pressure.
7. All those who are overweight should definitely look at reducing weight and fat content of the body.
8. Processed foods are not only high in salt content but also there is loss of vitamins and minerals in these foods. So fast foods and processed foods are expensive both for pocket and heart.

A-Z: TIPS FROM FAT TO FIT

Are you one of those people looking for a way of living that will allow you to sensibly lose weight and keep the weight off permanently? If yes, this is the information that will enable you to do just that!

The A-Z tips are put up in an alphabetical order so that it is easy for you to remember. 

These suggestions will surely help to achieve your target and watch the waistline!

Always sit down to eat: Don’t eat on the move or while cooking / watching TV / reading. Always sit down at one place to eat and don’t get up till you finish eating.

Boil or bake the food: it is always better to steam, bake or grill the food instead of frying. Use very little oil while cooking. Invest in food non- stick cookware.

Chew the food properly: Eating slowly and chewing properly is an efficient method of cutting down on consumption of food. It also helps in easy and proper digestion of food.

Dine early: Have your dinner at least two hours before you sleep. Heavy snacks should be avoided just before bed.

Eat all meals: Don’t skip any meals. Skipping meals can lead to hunger pangs which can further lead to overeating.

Fill up on fiber: Choose high fiber foods such as whole wheat flour and unpolished rice. Fiber does not contain any calories and fills you up without piling on any calories.

Go for smaller treats: Instead of buying family packs, buy smaller packs. You will probably polish off a big packet because it is open.

High calorie food should be substituted with low calorie food: Nowadays, there are smart substitutes to high calorie food. For instance, you could replace one glass of milk (125 kcal) with one glass of skimmed milk (60 kcal), 30 gm of cheddar cheese (114 kcal) with 30gm of mozzarella cheese (80 kcal), etc.

Ideal weight is the key to a healthy life: Invest in a weighing scale and keep a regular check on your weight. Try to maintain an ideal weigh throughout your life.

Jog during commercials: Jog on the spot thrice each evening during advertisement breaks on your television show. This adds up to an annual loss of 3 kilograms.

Keep your mind positive: you are more likely to lose weight if you keep imagining how great you will look when you will be slim. This is one of the keys to achieving and maintaining a state of fitness and well being. 

VEGETABLE PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup ready made dosa batter
• 1/4 cup oats, roasted
• 1/2 cup mixed vegetables(carrot, cabbage,cauliflower, onions etc.) grated
• 1/2 tbsp peanuts, roasted powdered
• 2 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp til(sesame seeds) for the topping
• 2 tsp oil for cooking
• 8 tsp tomato ketchup or green chutney(for serving)

METHOD:

• Combine together the dosa batter, oats, vegetables, peanuts, coriander, salt and 2 tbsp water in a bowl and mix well. keep aside.
• Heat a non- stick pan and grease it lightly with oil.
• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of til on it
• When they crackle, pour a ladleful of the batter and spread it evenly to make a small circle
• Cook using 1/2 tsp of oil, till both sides are golden brown in colour.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

World Alzheimer Day

Alzheimer
Alzheimer’s is a common disease for people during old age in which their brain capacity fades off. People with Alzheimer usually show symptoms like confusion, difficulty in focusing, thinking, understanding, sudden anger, loneliness or mood swings, depression, hallucination etc. 

Alzheimer can happen to anyone but if care is taken at earliest possible it will help in the long run. Here are some of the dietary guideline which will help you prevent Alzheimer.

1. Omega 3 fatty acids is a power nutrient for the brain. Termed as one of the most important nutrient used to fight against Alzheimer. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is main Omega 3 that helps reduce risk of Alzheimer. Food sources including flaxseeds, walnut, sardines, salmons, soya bean, tofu etc.
Including 2-3 servings of fatty fish in your diet weekly will increase DHA levels in blood and may lower the risk of dementia.

2. Medium chain Triglycerides (MCTs) are found abundant in coconut oil and desi ghee helps improve memory, language, thinking and judgment in people with Alzheimer. For people diagnosed with Alzheimer 6 servings of coconut oil/desi ghee has shown to reduce symptoms.

3. People with Alzheimer are advised to include green leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach, amaranth, fenugreek leaves, cabbage etc. By including these veges in the diet, around 6 or more servings per week can protect from neurodegenerative disorders.

4. Berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberry, gooseberry and other dark skinned fruits are used to treat Alzheimer’s by protecting the brain and improving cognitive function. Consuming it twice a week can help with treating Alzheimer.

5. Beans are high in proteins and fibers and low in fat and calories. An ideal food to keep your mind sharp. Beans like soya beans, broad beans, field beans, kidney beans, French beans etc. can be a major part on your plate. Include it atleast three times a week in your diet to reduce the risk of Alzheimer.

LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET

LOW CARB DIET: HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BODY

1. What is a low carb diet? What it means to cut carbs out of your diet?

Carbohydrate, protein and fat are macronutrients which form a balanced diet. As per the dietary guidelines from National Institute of Nutrition our diet should comprise of 50-60% carbohydrate, 20-25% fat and 15-20% protein. Only in certain cases such as medical conditions like cancer or tuberculosis or body building or weight management wherein carbohydrate is reduced by 5-10% and protein content is increased by 5-10%.

However these days, low carb diet or let’s say high fat or high protein are the latest due to diet trends and lot of people have been reducing carbohydrates excessively and having only about 5 % instead of 55% of carbohydrate and either increasing protein and fat percentages to 60-80% . This can however lead to many detrimental effects such as affecting the kidney, liver, causing nausea, headaches, fatigues etc. As carbohydrate is our main source of energy. Being health conscious, one can definitely avoid carbohydrates such as pizza, donuts, burgers, maida etc. But do not cut down on whole grains, fruits and vegetables as they are the main source of energy and will prevent deficiencies.

2. What are the positive and negative implications of low-carb diet?

When people go on diets which changes the proportion of macronutrients such as high protein diets or high fat diets, they start cutting down on carbs or completely avoid carbohydrates, when you do this, you might drop few pounds but you’re body gets into a deficiency mode which in return causes hairfall, pigmentation, inflammation of gut, mood swings, fatty liver, constipation, high uric acid and the list is endless.  After a while one starts craving for unhealthy carbohydrates such as pastries, ice cream, chocolate, donuts, burgers etc. Thus it’s important not to fall prey to such diets and include healthy carbohydrates such as rice, roti, bread on a regular basis. Though In certain medical cases low carb diets are given and they produce positive results but under complete supervision and for small period of time. 

3. Is it a sustainable model or something that should be adopted for a short term basis for internal detoxification?

Cutting carbs from the diet is obviously not sustainable. As from the beginning we have always been eating carbohydrates such as rice, roti, bajra, jowar, potato, fruits breads etc. and suddenly avoiding these foods and shifting to high fat or high protein will only affect our body and cause harm to kidney, liver etc. Also it is not sustainable as carbohydrates are our main source of energy and cutting down carbohydrates drastically will only damage our health.

4. Who can go for a low carb diet and who definitely should not go for it? (Health conditions that need low-carb diets and conditions for whom these diets will be detrimental?

Certain health conditions like insulin sensitivity, PCOS, autistic or epileptic patients may need less of carbohydrates but under complete supervision and regular blood checks have to be conducted to see how the patient is responding to the change in macros and whether kidney or liver is not getting loaded.

For someone who is plateaued at certain weight, they can cut down carbohydrates by just 5-10%, eliminate unhealthy carbohydrates such as donuts, pizza, maida etc and focus on good carbohydrates such as roti, rice, bread etc. Also if a person is into sports or weight training, carbohydrate is again reduced by 5% -10%. 

Managing PCOS through Nutrition

Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS, is a set of symptoms related to a hormonal imbalance that can affect women and girls of reproductive age. PCOS may cause menstrual cycle changes, skin changes such as increased facial and body hair and acne, cysts in the ovaries, and infertility. Lifestyle changes are the key to reversing PCOS. Losing weight by eating clean and getting regular exercise will not only reduce insulin and androgen levels, it will also restore normal ovulation and improve the odds of pregnancy.

Following are some methods by which PCOS can be controlled:

• Focus on low glycemic index (see table below): Low GI foods (refer list below) can improve and help balance insulin levels, women with PCOS are often resistant to the effects of insulin, and therefore have more insulin in their blood. This rise in insulin levels means the levels of testosterone are also increased. The increase in both insulin and testosterone upsets the natural hormone balance in the body, often causing symptoms to flare up. 

• Include good quality proteins: Focusing on good quality protein such lean meats, nuts and seeds will keep your blood sugar levels optimum and will make you crave lesser for sweets.

• Focus on Essential fatty acids Healthy fats- Unsaturated fats are essential in managing the symptoms of poly-cystic ovary syndrome as they help to re-balance hormones, manage weight and can help with fertility. You can include ‘Healthy’ fats in the form of virgin coconut oil, desi ghee, avocado, flax seeds, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts etc.

• Limit intake of refined carbohydrates: Refined carbohydrates such as white breads, muffins, pastries anything made with flour will spike the blood glucose instantly leading to weight gain and worsen symptoms of PCOS.

• Source it right: Nowadays, whether its milk or chicken, its generally injected and fruits and vegetables are loaded with pesticides, thus it’s important to source your food from the right sources, for e.g. milk from Indian humped cows- A2 milk, country chicken instead of broilers and look for seasonal and local fruits and vegetables instead of imported fruits and vegetables.

• Include some form of exercise daily: Exercising for 180 mins/week can help to reduce insulin resistance, especially when coupled with a limited intake of refined carbohydrates. For e.g. Yoga, swimming are some of the best form of exercises.

• Focus on Vitamin B12 food sources: Most people with PCOS are deficient in this vitamin. Vitamin B12 is very essential as it is involved in weight control. Sources: Sea food (clams, oysters, mussels), salmon, yogurt, milk, eggs, chicken etc.

• Focus on Chromium, Selenium and Zinc rich foods: These minerals are very important as chromium plays an important role in insulin signalling, selenium and zinc helps to control blood glucose levels and prevent diabetes.

• Chromium rich foods: Broccoli, whole grain breads and cereals, lean meat, cheese, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, potatoes, prunes, bananas, nuts and spices (black pepper and thyme) etc.
• Selenium rich foods: Brazil nuts, fish, whole wheat bread, sunflower seeds, eggs, mushrooms, oats etc.
• Zinc rich foods: Pumpkin, watermelon and squash seeds, spinach, lean meat, chickpeas, mushrooms etc.

Glycemic Index (GI) of Common Foods

Sr. No.	Name of the food	Glycemic Index
1	White wheat bread	73-77%
2	Whole wheat bread	70-78%
3	Wheat roti	60-65%
4	Chappathi	48-58%
5	White boiled rice	69-77%
6	Brown boiled rice	64-72%
7	Barley	26-30%
8	Instant oat porridge	76-82%
9	Rice porridge /congee	69-87%
10	Millet porridge	62-72%
11	Sweet corn	47-57
12	Cornflakes	75-87%
13	Apple (raw)	34-38%
14	Orange	40-46%
15	Banana	47-54%
16	Pineapple	51-67%
17	Mango (raw)	46-56%
18	Watermelon (raw)	72-80%
19	Potato (boiled)	74-82%
20	French fries (potato)	58-68%
21	Carrots (boiled)	35-43%
22	Milk (full fat)	36-42%
23	Milk (skim)	33-41%
24	Ice cream	48-54%
25	Chick peas	19-37%
26	Soya beans	15-17%
27	Lentils	27-37%
28	Chocolate	37-43%
29	Popcorn	60-70%
30	Soft drinks/soda	56-62%
31	Honey	58-64%
32	Glucose	100%

Source: National Institute of Nutrition (NIN, Hyderabad)